On the 29th of January 2021, a dissemination workshop convened by NextierSPD dissected the outcome of the research: 'Assessing community resilience & peace-building initiatives in north-east Nigeria'. The research was conducted by Prof. Patricia Donli, Prof. D. Dlakwa, Dr. Chris Kwaja et.al. Some of those present are:
*Dr. Ndubuisi Nwokolo - Partner/CEO NextierSPD
*Prof. Patricia Donli - University of Maiduguri
*Prof. D. Dlakwa - University of Maiduguri
*Dr. Chris Kwaja - Member, UN Working Group on the Use of Merceneries
*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - Independent Consultant/Conflict Transformation Expert, Abuja
*Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo - Technical Lead, MCN Programme
Eight communities in each of the two states - Borno & Adamawa were understudied. The aim was to find out the factors that made communities resilient in-spite of insurgency. The qualitative methodology entailed FGDs, KIIs, etc The samples were inclusive of youth, women and PLWDs.
Coping strategies:
*Many women and youth have emerged heads of households, decision makers and leaders in communities in order to fill the vacuum created by slain bonafide household heads!
*Kanuris and Hausas agree to live together in peace.
*Churches and mosques preach against insurgency.
*Community early warning strategies (EWS) have been extensively developed.
*Informal stakeholder mapping of residents.
*Change of vocation when farmers can no longer farm. New endeavours: auto mechanic, trading, knitting of men's caps, welding, masonry, tailoring, washing of clients' clothes, etc.
*NGOs create empowerment programmes for the citizenry.
*Communities adopt the spirit of forgiveness as a 'balm'. This trend of thought is amplified by clerics.
*Un-channeled energy of youth directed to sports, weddings, etc
*Civilian JTF and hunters use charms to fortify themselves.
*Security agents are bribed to facilitate easy passage of goods and services.
*Unprecedented synergy between communities and NGOs.
Challenges
*Influx of SALWs because Borno, for example, is bordered by Chad, Niger, etc. Borno is also at the border of Yobe, Gombe & Adamawa (in Nigeria). The borders remain porous.
*High incidence of SGBV due to displacement. Security forces and humanitarian workers are implicated in the SGBV epidemic!
*Female heads of households involved in survival sex.
*Children heading households and other 'un-accompanied children become thieves, carry teenage pregnancies, get infected with STIs/HIV & AIDS, become drug addicts, continually have cholera because of contaminated water and food.
*Lack of access to farmland implies that there could be food insecurity. Insurgents make it difficult for farmers to farm and harvest their crops in peace.
*Extortion by security agents.
*Improper coordination by security outfits.
*Lack of funds and logistics for local Vigilante groups.
*High incidence of mental illness for women and other vulnerable groups.
*Rising abject poverty in view of the high level of collateral damage and evasive socio-economic life.
*Fish trade in Baga, Borno state banned. The new fish source is Hadeija in Jigawa state. The fish trade seems to have been taken over by the Military! The price of fish has become exorbitant as a result of the powerful middlemen and the longer route to access fish.
Recommendations:
Comprise the following: Research (areas to carry forward);Programmatic pillar (intervention) & Policy pillar (how we can engage the people with policy makers). All recommendations should target the people.
*DDRR. Sensitisation of the public is necessary while engaging communities. Beyond the use of radio and the internet, traditional/religious leaders should be involved.
*There should be a coordinated approach to humanitarian intervention. Borno state should not remain a 'tourist site' for every international actor!
*There should be cooperation rather than competition among intervening actors. The faulty perception of one another should cease for progress to be made.
*Women, and indeed more women's associations should be involved in every area of the peace-building process. This is in consonance with WPS, UNSCR 1325. The He for She campaign is relevant here.There should be more women in community governance. For example, there is no woman in the Borno State Security Council!
*Intensify peace-building cultural activities- Sports for peace/Dancing competitions/Peace rallies, etc.
*Disaster response should be stepped up. See for example, NE Development Commission & the 2001 National Disaster Development Plan.
*Set agenda for new Service Chiefs.
The bottom line is that the citizens need to be commended for their resilience in-spite of insurgency. Government at the local, state and federal levels should ensure that such resilience is sustainable...
Related Links
*De-radicalised BH members still not genuinely accepted by locals humanangle.ng
*Understanding BH's past, present & trajectory by M. Nwankpa (eds) https://lnkd.in/dgQuhnk
*Terrorist attraction nextierspd.com
*The Zamfara Model for curbing banditry in Nigeria is the dismal tunnel to self-destruction nextierspd.com
*Living with enemies: How localcommunities in Nigeria are evolving 'symbiotic' relationships with bandits in NW & NC Nigeria https;//nextierspd.com/livng-with-enemies/
*With guns you can kill terrorists. With education, you can kill terrorism #StandWithMalala https;//www.linkedin.com/feed.../
*The complex effects of counter-terrorism policies on Mediation the globalobservatory.com
*Nigeria: Conflict trends https://nextierspd.com/summary-of-key-trends-from-the.../
*How insecurity affects the lives of everyone in the Niger Delta theconversation.com
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